Modification of and shrinkproofing of wools with amines



Patented Jan. 10, 1950 'MODIFICATION OF AND SHRINKPROOFING OF WOOLS WITH AMINES George C. .-LeICompte,- Arlington, Va.

' No' Drawing. 'Applica.tion December 5, 1947,

.- Serial'No. 790006 I I ifllaims. (c1. 8-1216) (Granted -unaer the-act oi -March 3, 1883, as

- amended .-Aprili 30; 1928?370 0.-G. 757) This application is made under'the act or March 3, 1883,,as amended ,by' the act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein described and claimed if patented in any country, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America throughout'the world for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalty. thereon.

This invention. relates to the production of wools of markedly altered-properties with respect to their. resistance to. shrinking, increased strength,- and resistance toidamage by'natural organisms.

An object of this inventionis to treat wool with amines in such manner as to favorably afiect its properties.

A further object-'01" this invention is to treat wool with aminesto yield a modified-wool of increased strength, and completely shrinkproof, or substantially so, b treating with anhydrous amines preferably, or solutions of 50 or 75%, or higher, concentration.

Another object is to treat wool with amines to yield a series of modified wools ranging in properties from shrinkproof fibers of increased strength to wool fibers so modified as to constitute new fibers, some of which are soluble in cold water.

Other objects will be obvious from the following disclosure.

In the following examples morpholine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine are the amines employed. The invention is not limited thereto. Among others that may be used are monoethanolamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, or the condensation products of these amines, or those of the examples, with bior poly-functional compounds such as dibasic acids, for example, sebacic or azelaic, or dihalides such as pentaor hexamethylene-dibromide. Primary, secondary, and tertiary amines may be employed.

Example 1 W001 is soaked in a 10-12% solution of diethanolamine in water, the excess reagent drained from the wool, and the impregnated wool heated in a drying oven at about 150 C. for 30 minutes to dry the wool and bake it.

In the above example a 2530% solution of triethanolamine in water was substituted for the solution of diethanolamine.

Like concentrations of morpoline in water may also be applied to the wool in the same manner.

The impregnated wool may, alternatively, be

2 driedat '50''60' C. ina current of air and'then baked in the drying oven at C. or higher, preferably at to C., for about "four minutes. High temperatures'known to damage wool *should be avoided. Consequently, 1' prefer temperatures no higher than 0., unless the 'duration of treatment is made very short. During'-the drying step of Example l'water is driven off. Consequently, the wool ineffect, treated-with the resulting anhydrous,-or highly concentrated; amine at the temperature of the drying oven.

The draining 'of'the amine irom'the' wool-can be' standardized to leave the pre-determined amount required to produce the desired product and'jthe desired completeness of reaction. "Other-volatile solvents may be usedin place of the water.

The condensation products described above may be best applied to the wool as solutions in phenol, cresol, ethylene glycol, or glycerine.

Example 2 Triethanolamine Shrinkage Per cent Per cent The sample impregnated with 30 percent aqueous triethanolamine did not shrink, in fact it stretched 0.6 percent.

Example 3 W001 was immersed in a bath of the anhydrous amine and kept in the bath for :a period of time resulted in a shrinkproofing much more effective 2 than that obtained by heating a sample in a bath of percent aqueous morpholine at4 0 ,and another sample at for minutesgf;

Other anhydrous amines may be employed in this example, for instance, anhydrous diethanolamine and monoethanolamine.

In Example 3 the wool was treated with anexicess of the anhydrous amine, since it was heated while immersed therein. 7

In Examples 1 and 2, thegamount of amine perature of about 90 to 110 C. for five to thirty minutes.

4. A process for modifying wool comprising heating wool impregnated with a basic material essentially consisting of morpholine at a tem- 'perature of 90 C. and above, the morpholine being applied to the wool in a solution having a H concentration no lower than percent, the said heating being for about five to thirty minutes.

5 A process for shrinkproofing wool comprisingfiheating wool impregnated with a material consisting of a compound taken from the group consisting of 100 percent, anhydrous ethanol- 7 aminesand morpholine at a temperature of C. and" above, the said heating being for no longer than about thirty minutes.

6. The process of claim 5 in which the material is diethanolamine and the temperature is no present on the wool being heated is determined by:

the concentration of the impregnating solution and the manner of draining or squeezing the'wool to remove excess amine.

In Example 3 shrinkage reduction'may be obtained with aqueous amine having concentrations of 50 or 75 per cent. Non-aqueous'solvents may also be employed.

Having thus described my invention, '1 claim; 1

1. A process for shrinkprooflng wool comprising heating wool in a bathpf morpholine at a temperature of'90110 C., for 5 to 30 minutes.

2. A process for shrinkproofingwool compris ing heating wool impregnated with a material essentially consisting of anhydrous morpholine at a temperature of 90 C. and above for five to thirty minutes.

3. A process for shrinkprooiing wool compris ing heating wool immersed in a bath essentially consisting of anhydrous morpholine atla temhigher thansabout C.

7. The process of claim 5 in which the material is triethanolamine and the temperature is no higher than about 110 C.

- GEORGE C. LE COMPTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

1. A PROCESS FOR SHRINKPROOFING WOOL COMPRISING HEATING WOOL IN A BATH OF 100% MORPHOLINE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 90-110*C., FOR 5 TO 30 MINUTES. 